CHAPTER XIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 353, 23 March 1889, Page 3

CHAPTER XIII.

POOR MRS DENVER. 1 And so you tumbled into -a horse-pond, did you, Miss Dulcie?' she asked, in tones of genuine concern, after the girl had delivered a short account of her adventure^ She was not a bad-he.arced old soul in her way, and Dulcie's pale cheeks and shivering form inspired her with pity. ' Did the master pull you out and save you from drowning V 1 No, not quite ; but lie stopped my horse for. me, and probably pi evented me from being killed. JBy-tlie-'iy, ' when did MiDenver come ?" |f He arrived' the night afore last, and a fine to-do there was, I can tell you. Howsomedever, it is pleasant to see the old house a-looking' more like itself a^ain, and suchv as I remember -it in Mrs Denver's time. 5 1 Were you here then, Mrs Hopkins ?' asked Dulcie, not without a certain feeling of curiosity. • Why, bless you, miss, I have lived with tho-^~^j/ very nigh upon twenty year?, aricT^can remember just as well as if it were yesterday the young biide coming home, and all the village bells pealing the ' whole day iong, and the school-children strewing flowers in the newly-wedded couple's path. I little thought I should ever live to see things come to so untimely an end. But, ah ! dearie me ! it's a wicked world, a wicked, wicked world !' 'It is indeed,' murmured Dulcie, sympathetically, though as yet she knew little enough about the matter ; ' but tell me, Mrs Hopkins, what sorb of a woman was Mrs Denver ? Was she pretty ?' • Not exactly. She was more handsome than anything else. Very tall — quite a head and shoulders over me — with a aughty look about her altogether — not that she was 'aughty but she looked it, I mean. Poor thing ! she was not over happy, as I have reason to know.' 'Why? Didn't she and Mr Denver agree ?' 'Agree? No, I should think not, indeed. She had a fine high spirit of her own, had Mrs Denver, for all she appeared so calm and cool. I remember one day as how she was" a-rnoving some old china — that Mr Denver he set) great store by — from a cupboard. I stood close by, while she" handed each piece out in turn, ready to dust it, when all of a sudden her foot slipped on the polished boards and down she fell, breaking a valuable bowl all to bits. It was a pure accident, in course, but Mr Denver began to curse and to swear just like a madman, and never once thought to ask his good lady if she had hurt herself. - 'JTor a long time she did not answer back, one single word ; but that only seemed to make matters worse, and he flew into a regular passion. " You're always breaking things," be said. " Confound you !I do believe you did it on purpose, just to annoy me." • She drew herself up to her full height, and looked him straight in the face with such a look of scorn and contempt as made me tremble all over. " Your temper is far too bad for me ever to wish to annoy it unnecessarily," she answered, in a cold, hard voice. I A ftaii who cannot conquer and control his own base passions need never hope to possess any influence over a woman. You have none over me, your oaths do not affect me in the least ; but it is lowering to your own dignity to swear at one physically, though not morally, weaker than yourself." And then she walked out of the room like a tragedy queen, and he stood there, dumbfounded like* Soon afterwards they separated, and have never lhed together sinee — for Mrs Denver she gained her divorce suit, and Mr Denver he went abroad. But bless my heart alive !' ejaculated Mrs Hopkins, suddenly pulling up short in ,the midst of her confidences, heedful of the tender years of her listener, * I've no business to be telling the likes o' you all these sad stories. They might set you against matrimony, Miss Dulcie. and are not fitted for your innocent ears. But come now, Miss Dulcie, please to make haste, for the master will be rare and angry if he is kept waiting. Here, put on my "bonnet, 5 handing the girl an enormous black straw head-gear, adorned with bright purple ribbons, and bunches of Solferino rosebuds imbedded in green leaves. 'Am I really to put this on ?' asked Dulcie, struggling somewhat ineffectually to conceal a broad smile, for fear of offending the other's feelings. /It's lather large.' ' Never mind that,' said Mrs Hopkins, reassuringly. 'It will prevent the cold from blowing about your ears, and your own hat is wet through and through.' Arrayed in Mrs Hopkins's black merino gown, which fell around her slender form like idly-flapping sails round a call mast, with Mrs Hopkins's profusely-ornamented bonnet on her head, Dulcie presented a somewhat comical appearance — so comical indeed, that, when she once more descended into the hall, Mr Denver at first had some difficulty in recognising his whilom companion. ' Dear me ! ie that you ?' he exclaimed, laughing heartily, ' What a wonderful change those garments of age and respectability have made in your personal appearance ! And now, Miss Dulcie,' he added, ' if you are i-eady we had better start. Bryant and May are rather fidgety. You are not nervous, I hope ?' •Me ? No, not in the slightest, and lam dying to be off.' •In that case we will not lose a minute ; though I trust, Miss Dulcie,' with a correctionary smile, ' that next time you honour my humble abode with a visit you' will not display quite such an unflattering anxiety to leave ib.' Dulcie made no reply, and turned her head on one side She had had one Icte-a-tate already, and dreaded the prospect of another with a curious sense of inward shrinking. i